[Tears burn his eyes again at Nate's words before Anders takes a slow breath to fight them back. The now is good, and he's all right.]

You'd do the same for me. You stood for me with Hercules and the advisors, protecting me from the start. Even before I'd shown you how good I was at kissing. And bribed you with a puppy.

[There. He's already managing to sound a little better, at least.]